Loni Salhus

I got extremely lucky when I was in high school and had 3 phenomenal teachers. They inspired me to pursue my passions, which led to my degree in Environmental Science and minor in Fine Art. I found myself calling my friends and family nearly every day to share what I had learned in my lectures, and soon enough I realized that my next passion was sharing my love of Environmental Science with others through stories and art. I now draw all of my lessons with my students, we call them Draw-Alongs!

Last year, I led a bunch of my students on a trip to the Galapagos Islands! Exploring the unique biodiverse environments and seeing my students grow through hands on experience was unforgettable. There were two penguins that swam along with us one day and seemed just as curious about us as we were about them. I think that was a shared memory that we will all cherish. I hope to be able to lead more trips such as that, as it is those real-world experiences that often have the biggest impact.

There is so many things to do! First, I would be able to take more students on STEM trips, such as the Galapagos one! I would love to also set up a White Sea Bass grow program so that my APES students can grow and release Sea Bass to help rebuild the wild population. Lastly, I would love to use the money to help afford a program for Master's in Education, possibly also a Masters in Science and/or Art!